Regulator.



PATBNTED APR. 21, 1903.

J. B. FOOTE.

REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Inventor.

Witnesses.

James Bfooc e. y 669.

mr. NORRIS PETER; co, FNOYO-LITHU WASHiNGTON, u c.

No. 725,692. PA'TENTED APR..21, 19703.

J. B. FOOTE.

REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Inventor.

Witnesses m: nouns ws'rzns co, Puorcxumou WASHWGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. FOOTE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIOCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,692, dated April21, 1903.

Application filed July 23, 1901. serial No. 69,394. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES B. FOOTE, acitizen of the United States,residing at J ackson,

county of Jackson, State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Regulators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates more particularly to electric regulators, andcomprises various novel features set forth with particularity in theclaims appended hereto.

The more especial aim of my invention is to secure a regulating actionwhich shall be checked as soon as the proper regulating efiect has beensecured and not be permitted to pass through a series of oscillations ofdecreasing amplitude about the desired point.

In carrying my invention into practice I may make use of amechanically-actuated regulating mechanism, the mechanical actuatorbeing governed in its motions by a controlling device of novelconstruction.

The invention may perhaps be best understood by first describing ingeneral terms a system embodying my invention and then referring indetail to the construction of the controlling device for said system.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of myregulating system taken as a whole, while Figs. 2 and 3 are detail viewsof the electric controlling device forming a part of the system. I

In Fig. 1 the lines 1 2 represent conductors forming part of an electricdistribution or transmission system the voltage of which it is desiredto control. It is .obvious that the immediate means for controlling thevoltage may be of widely-different character. Thus,

for example, the field strength of the genera tor (in this case notshown) may be varied or the speed of the generator may be changed orvarious other means employed without departing from my invention.instance, however, I have assumed that the system is to be regulated bya potential-regulator of well-known construction and such, for example,as is set forth more in detail in the patent to Steinmetz, N0. 8,400,dated October 22, 1895. A winding 4 on this regulator is in series withone of the mains-as, for example, the main 2while a second winding 5,

In the present located in this instance at right angles to the winding4, is connected in shunt to the mains 1 2. I A flattened body 6 ofmagnetic material is locatedwithin these coils or windings and ismounted on bearings, so that it may be rotated. By changing the angularposition of this body the mutual induction between the series and thepotential coils may be varied, thereby causing the potential coil toexert a correspondingly varied boosting effect upon the series coil,this boosting effect acting to regulate the voltage of the lines 1 and 2as desired.

For the purpose of mechanically actuating the regulator 3 I may connectthe rotating member thereof through gearing 5' of any suitableconstruction to the piston-rod 6, ex-

tending from a piston 7, to which motion is communicated byfluid-pressure derived from any suitable source.

The piston 7 of the actuating device is movable within a cylinder 8, towhich some suit able fluid, as oil, may be admitted through theoperation of a controlling-valve-such,

for example, as 9, The oil may be contained in a tank 10, in which it ismaintained under pressure by means of some suitable pump. Inthe presentinstance I have by way of illustration indicated a pump 11, driven by anelectric motor 12, the circuit of which is controlled automatically by aswitch 13, which through the action of the fluid-pressure is caused toclose when the pressure is too low and to open when the pressure is toohigh,

the opening and closing of the switch being governed by a piston 12,operated upon by the fluid-pressure and acting in opposition to aproperly-adjusted spring 13. The oil after it has been admitted to thecylinder 8 and has moved the piston thereof in either direction is thendischarged through the'exhaustpipe 14: into a receiving-tank15, fromwhich it is drawn by the pump II and again forced into the tank 10.

The valve 9, which controls the fluid-actuating device, is is turnactuated magnetically through the operation of a controlling device,(indicated in diagram at 16.) The magnetic actuating means consists ofan armature 17, carried bya rod 18 and mounted in proximity to a pair ofmagnets 19 and 20, the circuits of which are opened and closed by thecontrolling device 16. Centering-springs 21 and 22, acting on thevalve-stem 1S, serve to maintain the valve 9 in its closed orintermediate position. When one of the magnets is energized, the valve 9will be moved in one direction, thereby causing a corresponding movementof the piston '7, while when the other magnet is energized an oppositeresulting motion of the piston 7 will take place.

The controlling device 16 consists of a main contact controlled by thequantity to be regulated and cooperating contacts acting in conjunctiontherewith to close the circuit of either of the magnets 19 and 20. Thesecooperating contacts are arranged so as to retreat or be withdrawnmomentarily upon each engagement between the same and the main contactunder control of the quantity to be regulated, which in this case is thepotential upon the mains 1 and 2. A better understanding of the natureof this controlling device will be had by now referring to Figs. 2 and3, which show the same in detail.

A frame or bracket 23 serves to support the working parts of thecontroller. At 25 is indicated a coil connected across the circuit to beregulated and corresponds to the coil 25 in Fig. 1. A core 26,consisting of a bundle of iron wires, is mounted loosely within the coil25 and is supported at its upper end on a knife-edge bearing at the endof a pivoted lever 28, which lever is in turn supported on knife-edgebearings carried by standards 29 and 30, the last-named standard beingshown in front view only in Fig. 2.

The lower end of the core of iron wires 26 carries adownwardly-projecting rod 31, arranged to slide loosely in an opening inan insulating-bushing in the lower end of a bracket 32. By means of thisconstruction the core is guided and prevented thereby from engaging thewalls of the solenoid 25.

A contact-carrying arm 33 is mounted upon the rod 34, which carries thelever-arm 28. The contact carried by the arm 33 is indicated at 35, andthe position of this contact is determined, as will readily beunderstood, by the position of the parts assumed when the pull of thesolenoid 25, acting upon the core26, is counterbalanced by the movementof the core 26 and its connected parts into a position of equilibrium.To adjust this position of equilibrium, I provide an arm 36, connectedwith the rod 34 and, indeed, forming a continuation of the arm 28, andupon the outer end of this arm 36 I provideahook upon which I may placea greater or less number of small weights 37 in the form of rings, thenumber of these weights being changed to suit the conditions required.

The balanced mechanical parts above described are from their manner ofmounting and arrangement necessarily sensitive to variations in thecurrent flowing through the solenoid 25, which in this case is intendedto be connected across the mains of a distribution system and responsiveto the difference of potential thereof. In order, therefore, to steadythe parts carrying the contact 35 and prevent undue oscillation of thesame, I provide a dampindevice of any suitable character, in thisinstance consisting of a downwardly-extending arm having its upper end38 passed through a hole in the rod 34 and secured thereto by aset-screw 39 and its lower end through an opening 40 in thesupporting-bracket and carrying at its extremity a paddle or vane 41,dipping into a body of more or less dense fluid 42, held in a containingvessel 43, the upper outline of which is indicated in dotted lines inFig. 3 and in section in Fig. 2.

Cooperating with the main contact 35, the position of which isdetermined by the magnitude of the quantity to be regulated, are a pairof movable or vibratory retreating contacts 44 and 45, each of which ismounted upon a pivoted carrier and insulated therefrom. The carrier forthe contact 44 consists of an upwardly-projecting rod 46, secured to apivotally-mounted armature 47, which cooperates with a magnet 48. Thisarmature 47 is pivoted at its right-hand end to the upper end of aprojecting standard 49, of magnetic material, connected to a yoke 50 ofthe magnet 48 and constituting a continuation of the magnetic circuitthereof. A spring 51, adjustably attached to a standard 52 and to oneend of the armature 47, serves to urge the armature 47 away from themagnet 48 and against an adjustable stop 53, also carried by thestandard. A dash-pot 54 is connected, as shown, to the armature 47 andserves to prevent too violent or too rapid oscillation thereof. Theother retreating contact 45 is mounted in a manner precisely similar tothat already described in connection with contact 44 and seems torequire no further elu cidation. The magnet which actuates thisretreating contact 45 is indicated, however, at 54 and in Fig. 2 isshown as partly concealed behind the controllingsolenoid 25, while thearmature 55, controlled by this mag net, is in like manner partiallyconcealed behind the same solenoid.

The connection of the controlling-solenoid 25 and of the magnets 48 and54 will now be readily understood by referring back to Fig. 1, in whichthe winding 25 represents the controlling-solenoid 25 in Fig. 2, whilethe windings 48 and 54 represent, respectively, thecorrespondingly-designated magnets in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 shows the parts in the position they occupy when the potential ofthe mains 1 2 is of normal value. When, however, the potential variesfrom normal, the main contact 35 is shifted either to the right or theleft, as the case may be, and engages one of the retreating contacts 4445. Supposing, for example, the main contact 35 is moved to the rightand engages the retreating contact 45, immediately upon this engagementa circuit is closed from themain 1, through the magnet 54, through themagnet 20, and back to the main 2. The valve 9 then commences to openunder the action of the magnet 20, while at the same time the retreatingcontact 45 moves backward through the energizing of the magnet 54:. Theretreating contact thereby acts to open the circuit which it haspreviously helped to close and through the resuiting deenergizing of itscon trolling-magnet oetis immediately allowed to return toward itsnormal position, thereby again coming in contact with the main contact35, whereupon the retreating action is repeated, the series of resultingadvances and retreats of the retreating contact constituting a continuedoscillation or vibration which serves to transmit to the valve 9 of themechanical controlling device a sort of series of taps, as it were,which allows a just sufiicient regulating effect to take place andchecks this regulating effect as soon as it has attained the properamount. Without this series of impulses it would be necessary for theregulating effect to slightly overstep the amount required to bring themains back to normal potential before the maincontactwouldreturn,therebynecessitating a reversal of the regulatingaction, which is apt to continue througha series of oscillations beforethe final regulation is secured. The arrangement shown is particularlyeffective in preventing this objectionable seesawing effect, and this isdue to the fact that as the regulating action proceeds the main contactmoves back toward its normal position, thereby increasing the amplitudeof movement of the cooperating contact, the oscillations of whichthereby become longer and longer and finally cease when the desiredregulating effect has been secured.

In adjusting the regulators in practice I- prefer that the main contact35 and the cooperating contacts 44 45 should be so related that a verysmall percentage variation of the quantity to be regulated will besufficient to cause the main contact to move into engagement with one ofthe cooperating contacts. A vibratory action of the last-mentionedcontact will then take place and a resulting regulation follow, as abovedescribed. In case, however, of a comparatively large variation of thequantity to be regulated the main contact will follow the recedingcooperating contact to such an extent as to maintain acontinuously-closed circuit between them, the result being a quick anduninterrupted regulating action nearly sufficient to restore normalconditions, whereupon the contacts separate and the last stages of theregulating action are completed without overstepping the mark throughthe sensitive making and breaking of the controlling-circuit alreadydescribed.

Although I have illustrated but a single arrangement for carrying out myinvention, it will of course be evident that many modifications thereofand variations therefrom may be made without departing from the spiritof my invention, for which reason I do not wish to be limited to theparticular details shown. Moreover,although I have shown my invention asarranged to regulate an elec tric system, it is obvious that it isapplicable as well to the regulation of steam or water pressu re,thespeed of engines or water-wheels, and the like, pressure or speedindicators being in such cases employed to control one of the contactsof the regulating device.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-- 1. In an electric regulating apparatus, thecombination of an electrically-actuated main contact, and anelectrically-controlled vibratory contact cooperating therewith.

2. In an electric regulating apparatus, the combination of a maincontact controlled by the quantity to be regulated, and anelectrically-actuated and mechanically-retracted vibratory contactcooperating therewith.

3. The combination of an electrically-actuated main contact, and anelectrically vibrated cooperating contact.

4. In an electric regulator, the combination of a main contactcontrolled by the quantity to be regulated, and an electrically-vibratedcooperating contact.

5. In an electric regulator, the combination of a main contactcontrolled by the quantity to be regulated, a cooperating contact, andmeans controlled by the engagement of said contacts for electricallyvibrating said cooperating contact.

6. In an electric regulating apparatus, the combination of a maincontact controlled by the quantity to be regulated, and a cooperatingcontact normally stationary but adapted when engaged by the main contactto be withdrawn electrically from engagement with said main contact andreturned mechanically as soon as such engagement is broken.

7. In an electric regulating apparatus, the combination of a circuitcontrolling a regulating mechanism, two contacts for making and breakingsaid circuit, one under the con trol of the quantity to be regulated andthe other actuated electromagnetically by current in said circuit, andmeans for restoring the latter contact upon the interruption of saidcurrent.

8. In an electric regulator, the combination of a circuit to beregulated, a vibratory circuit-closing device cooperating therewith,andmeans controlled by said device for regulating said circuit.

9. In an electric regulating apparatus, the combination of acontrolling-circuit, a contact controlled by the quantity to beregulated for closing said circuit, and a contact for opening saidcircuit electrically actuated in one direction and mechanically actuatedin the other.

10. In an electric regulating apparatus, the combination of cooperatingcircuit-closing contacts, one moved in response to variation of thequantity to be regulated and the other ating with said magneticactuating means and consisting of a main contact controlled by thequantity to be regulated, a cooperating contact or contacts, and amagnet or magnets energized through the engagement of the main contactwith the said cooperatl'ng contact or contacts and controlling saidcooperating contact or contacts.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of July,1901.

JAMES B. FOOTE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES ZANG, R. E. SEARLs.

